The Death of Baldur - Norse Mythology for Smart People Norse Mythology for Smart People The Death of Baldur “Baldur’s Death” by Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg (1817) Baldur was one of the most beloved of all the gods. The son of Odin , the chief of the gods, and the benevolent sorceress goddess Frigg , Baldur was a generous, joyful, and courageous character who gladdened the hearts of all who spent time with him. When, therefore, he began to have ominous dreams of some grave misfortune befalling him, the fearful gods appointed Odin to discover their meaning. Baldur’s father wasted no time in mounting his steed, Sleipnir , and riding to the underworld to consult a dead seeress whom he knew to be especially wise in such matters. When, in one of his countless disguises, he reached the cold and misty underworld, he found the halls arrayed in splendor, as if some magnificent feast were about to occur. Odin woke the seeress and questioned her concerning this festivity, and she responded that the guest of honor was to be none other than Baldur.

She merrily recounted how the god would meet his doom, stopping only when she realized, from the desperate nature of Odin’s entreaties, who this disguised wanderer truly was. And, indeed, all that she prophesied would come to pass. Odin returned in sorrow to Asgard , the gods’ celestial stronghold, and told his comrades what he had been told. Frigg, yearning for any chance of saving her treasured son, however remote, went to every thing in the cosmos and obtained oaths to not harm Baldur. After these oaths were secured, the gods made a sport out of the situation. They threw sticks, rocks, and anything else on hand at Baldur, and everyone laughed as these things bounced off and left the shining god unharmed. The wily and disloyal Loki sensed an opportunity for mischief. In disguise, he went to Frigg and asked her, “Did all things swear oaths to spare Baldur from harm?” “Oh, yes,” the goddess replied, “everything except the mistletoe. But the mistletoe is so small and innocent a thing that I felt it superfluous to ask it for an oath.

What harm could it do to my son?” Immediately upon hearing this, Loki departed, located the mistletoe, and brought it to where the gods were playing their new favorite game. He approached the blind god Hodr ( Old Norse Höðr, “Slayer”) and said, “You must feel quite left out, having to sit back here away from the merriment, not being given a chance to show Baldur the honor of proving his invincibility.” The blind god concurred. “Here,” said Loki, handing him the shaft of mistletoe. “I will point your hand in the direction where Baldur stands, and you throw this branch at him.” So Hod threw the mistletoe. It pierced the god straight through, and he fell down dead on the spot. The gods found themselves unable to speak as they trembled with anguish and fear. They knew that this event was the first presage of Ragnarok , the downfall and death, not just of themselves, but of the very cosmos they maintained.

At last, Frigg composed herself enough to ask if there were any among them who were brave and compassionate enough to journey to the land of the dead and offer Hel , the death-goddess, a ransom for Baldur’s release. Hermod , an obscure son of Odin, offered to undertake this mission. Odin instructed Sleipnir to bear Hermod to the underworld, and off he went. The gods arranged a lavish funeral for their fallen friend. They turned Baldur’s ship, Hringhorni, into a pyre fitting for a great king. When the time came to launch the ship out to sea, however, the gods found the ship stuck in the sand and themselves unable to force it to budge. After many failed attempts they summoned the brawniest being in the cosmos, a certain giantess named Hyrrokkin (“Withered by Fire”). Hyrrokkin arrived in Asgard riding a wolf and using poisonous snakes for reins. She dismounted, walked to the prow of the ship, and gave it such a mighty push that the land quaked as Hringhorni was freed from the strand.

As Baldur’s body was carried onto the ship, his wife, Nanna, was overcome with such great grief that she died there on the spot, and was placed on the pyre alongside her husband. The fire was kindled, and Thor hallowed the flames by holding his hammer over them. Odin laid upon the pyre his ring Draupnir, and Baldur’s horse was led into the flames. All kinds of beings from throughout the Nine Worlds attended this ceremony: gods, giants, elves , dwarves , valkyries , and others. Together they stood and mourned as they watched the burning ship disappear over the ocean. Meanwhile, Hermod rode nine nights through ever darker and deeper valleys on his quest to rescue the part of Baldur that had been sent to Hel. When he came to the river Gjoll (Gjöll, “Roaring”), Móðguðr, the giantess who guards the bridge, asked him his name and his purpose, adding that it was strange that his footfalls were as thundering as those of an entire army, especially since his face still had the color of the living. He answered to her satisfaction, and she allowed him to cross over into Hel’s realm.

Sleipnir leapt over the wall around that doleful land. Upon entering and dismounting, Hermod spotted Hel’s throne and Baldur, pale and downcast, sitting in the seat of honor next to her. Hermod spent the night there, and when morning came, he pleaded with Hel to release his brother, telling her of the great sorrow that all living things, and especially the gods, felt for his absence. Hel responded, “If this is so, then let every thing in the cosmos weep for him, and I will send him back to you. But if any refuse, he will remain in my presence.” Hermod rode back to Asgard and told these tidings to the gods, who straightaway sent messengers throughout the worlds to bear this news to all of their inhabitants. And, indeed, everything did weep for Baldur – everything, that is, save for one giantess: Tokk (Þökk, “Thanks”), who was none other than Loki in another disguise.

Tokk coldly told the messengers, “Let Hel hold what she has!” And so Baldur remained with Hel until Ragnarok, when, after the cosmos was destroyed and re-created, he returned to bless the land and its inhabitants with his gladdening light and exuberance.[1][2][3] The Role of Baldur’s Death in the Norse Mythological Cycle Amongst the heathen Norse and other Germanic peoples, Baldur was regarded as the divine animating force behind the beauty of life at the peak of its strength and energy. Accordingly, his happy youth is the peak of the Norse mythical cycle as a whole, as summer is to the cycle of the year or noontime is to the cycle of the day. His death marks the beginning of the decline into old age, night, winter, and ultimately the death and rebirth that characterize Ragnarok. Looking for more great information on Norse mythology and religion? While this site provides the ultimate online introduction to the topic, my book The Viking Spirit provides the ultimate introduction to Norse mythology and religion period. I’ve also written a popular list of The 10 Best Norse Mythology Books , which you’ll probably find helpful in your pursuit.

References: Baldur - Norse Mythology for Smart People Norse Mythology for Smart People Baldur “Each Arrow Overshot His Head” by Elmer Boyd Smith (1902) Baldur (pronounced “BALD-er;” Old Norse Baldr, Old English and Old High German Balder) is one of the Aesir gods. He’s the son of Odin and Frigg , the husband of the obscure goddess Nanna, and the father of the god Forseti . He’s loved by all the gods, goddesses, and beings of a more physical nature. So handsome, gracious, and cheerful is he that he actually gives off light.[1] The meaning and etymology of his name are uncertain and have been the topic of intense scholarly debate. Numerous possibilities have been proposed, including a derivation from the Proto-Indo-European root *bhel- (“white”), Old Norse bál, “fire,” or a hypothesized word for “lord” common to various Germanic languages.

The most straightforward – and probably correct – explanation, however, is that his name comes from the Old Norse word baldr, “bold.”[2][3] Scholars have been reluctant to accept this explanation due to its implication of a warlike character for Baldur. But as we’ll see below, Baldur may not have been as innocent and passive as he’s portrayed to be in the late Old Norse literary source that provides the most extensive description of the god and the tales in which he features. This literary source is the Prose Edda of the medieval Icelandic scholar Snorri Sturluson. From this treatise on mythology and poetics comes the most complete account we have of the primary tale concerning Baldur, the story of his death and resurrection . This tale can be briefly summarized as follows: When Baldur began to have dreams of his death, Frigg went around to everything in the world and secured from each of them an oath to not harm her son. Confident in Baldur’s invincibility, the gods amused themselves by throwing weapons and any random thing they could find at Baldur and watching them bounce off of him, leaving him utterly unscathed.

Loki , the guileful trickster of the gods, sensed an opportunity for mischief. He inquired of Frigg whether she had overlooked anything whatsoever in her quest to obtain oaths. She casually answered that she had thought the mistletoe to be too small and harmless a thing to bother asking for such a promise. Loki straightaway made a spear from the mistletoe and convinced the blind god Hodr to throw it at Baldur. The projectile pierced the god, and he fell down dead. The anguished gods then ordained that one of them should go to the underworld to see if there was any way Baldur could be retrieved from the clutches of the death goddess, Hel . Hermod , another one of Odin’s many sons, agreed to make this journey, and, mounting Odin’s steed, Sleipnir , he rode down the world-tree until he came to its dark and damp roots, wherein lies Hel’s abode. When he arrived, he found his brother, pale and grim, sitting in the seat of honor next to Hel.

Hermod implored the dreadful goddess to release Baldur, and after much persuasion, she replied that she would give him up if and only if everything in the world would weep for Baldur – to prove, in other words, that he was as universally beloved as Hermod claimed. The whole world did indeed weep for the generous son of Odin – all, that is, save one creature. The giantess Þökk (“Thanks”), generally assumed to be Loki in disguise, callously refused to perform the act that would secure Baldur’s return.[4] And so the bright god lay in the grave until Ragnarok , the destruction of the cosmos at the end of the great mythical cycle , after which Baldur returned at last to the land of the living, gladdening the hearts of the creatures who filled the new world.[5] While this account comes overwhelmingly from one source, bits and pieces of it can be found in earlier Old Norse poetry, and many details of the narrative are depicted on pieces of jewelery dating from before the Viking Age.[6] We can be reasonably certain that the tale as told by Snorri is not only authentic, at least in its general outline, but very, very old.

However, whether out of ignorance or a desire to portray Baldur as a martyr-like figure, Snorri likely omitted a key element of Baldur’s character: a warlike disposition. There’s one other literary account of Baldur’s death, that told by the medieval Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus. As confused and euhemerized (historicized) as this version is, one of the characteristics that stands out is Baldur’s constant eagerness to engage in battle. He’s even depicted as something of a warlord. This, combined with the many kennings that link Baldur’s name with weapons and war in general, suggests that Baldur was much more of an active fighter and less of a passive, innocent sufferer than Snorri makes him out to be.[7] Other than that, references to Baldur are scarce.

He’s mentioned in an Anglo-Saxon chronicle (where he’s given the additional name Bældæg, “The Shining Day,” and described as a son of Woden, the Old English name for Odin).[8] Another brief reference to him can be found in the so-called Second Merseburg Charm from continental Germany, which comes from a manuscript that dates from the ninth or tenth century CE. While we know relatively little about Baldur due to the fragmentary nature of the sources of our knowledge of pre-Christian Germanic religion, he evidently occupied a position of renown and splendor in the hearts and minds of the heathen Germanic peoples. He seems to have been regarded as the divine animating force behind the beauty of life at the peak of its strength and exuberance. His death marks the beginning of the decline into old age, night, winter, and ultimately the death and rebirth that characterize Ragnarok. Looking for more great information on Norse mythology and religion? While this site provides the ultimate online introduction to the topic, my book The Viking Spirit provides the ultimate introduction to Norse mythology and religion period.

I’ve also written a popular list of The 10 Best Norse Mythology Books , which you’ll probably find helpful in your pursuit. References: [1] Snorri Sturluson. The Prose Edda. Gylfaginning 22. [2] Turville-Petre, E.O.G. 1964. Myth and Religion of the North: The Religion of Ancient Scandinavia. p. 117. [3] Simek, Rudolf. 1993. Dictionary of Northern Mythology. Translated by Angela Hall. p. 28. [4] Snorri Sturluson. The Prose Edda. Gylfaginning 49. [5] The Poetic Edda. Völuspá. [6] Simek, Rudolf. 1993. Dictionary of Northern Mythology. Translated by Angela Hall. p. 28. [7] Turville-Petre, E.O.G. 1964. Myth and Religion of the North: The Religion of Ancient Scandinavia. p. 115. [8] Simek, Rudolf. 1993. Dictionary of Northern Mythology.

Translated by Angela Hall. p. 26. The Ultimate Online Resource for Norse Mythology and Religion My Books BALDUR - the Norse God of Good (Norse mythology) BALDUR Also known as BALDER, BALDR The un-indestructible God of Goodness and Peace ODIN and FRIGG ’s son BALDUR is the Shining One — a champion of goodness, innocence and forgiveness. He is loved by everybody. Wait! News has just reached us that he was killed by LOKI . But how did he die? He was supposed to be invulnerable. His mother made sure of it — she got every living thing in existence to promise never to harm him, thus making him completely indestructible. In fact, BALDUR was so impervious to injury that at banquets guests used to amuse themselves by hurling sharp objects at him. Not dying horribly was a hilarious party trick of his. So how did LOKI kill the unkillable kid? (It’s more convoluted than Agatha Christie or a Dan Brown novel but bear with us.) Ah yes, when all the world was promising not to hurt him, there was an exception. Mistletoe. Yes, mistletoe.

Frankly, mistletoe was so tiny and insignificant that FRIGG didn’t even bother to ask. Oops. When LOKI found out, he made a dart of sharpened mistletoe and gave it to a blind god called HOD . In the middle of a banquet, HOD with sharp ears and sharp mistletoe hit the target. Zap! The good god was now good and dead. Don’t panic — there was a resurrection clause. With extensive mourning by all living things on Earth, he might have been brought back to life. But no. It failed — one old hag called Thokk refused to weep, saying he never did anything for her. But that’s not the end of it. The old hag turned out to have been arch-villain LOKI in one of his many disguises. When confronted, he tried to escape by turning into a salmon. But he was not slippery enough to escape the net and now faces perpetual punishment. There’s even more! HOD turns out to be BALDUR’s unsuspecting twin brother. But was he full of hidden hatred? Will BALDUR return? Can HERMOTH save him from the Underworld?

Don’t miss the next episode of the Baldur Murder Mystery. As you might imagine, this Scandinavian soap saga is one of the most important of the Norse legends. Sadly for BALDUR fans he is famous mostly for being dead. Celebrity gossip has linked his name with the similar-sounding God of Goodness BELOBOG from Slavic mythology, but we are not convinced. Perhaps it will all become clear in Episode 427263. Can you wait for the next installment? BALDUR FACTS AND FIGURES Cite this Link to this page HTML: To link to this page, just copy and paste the text below into your blog, web page or email. <a href="">Godchecker entry on BALDUR, the Norse God of Good</a> BBCODE: To link to this page in a forum post or comment box, just copy and paste the text below: [url= entry on BALDUR, the Norse God of Good[/url] Cite this article Here's the info you need to cite this page. Just copy the text in the box below. Saunders, Chas, and Peter J. Allen, eds.

"BALDUR - the Norse God of Good (Norse mythology)." <em>Godchecker</em>. Godchecker.com / CID, 30 Jan. 2014. Web. 18 January 2017. . 30 January 2014 by the Godchecker Team. Editors: Peter J Allen, Chas Saunders References: Coming soon. Baldur - Who Was Baldur? - Profile of Baldur Frigg received all their vows and compacts.” Unfortunately, in her haste, Frigga overlooked the mistletoe plant, so Loki – the resident trickster – took advantage of the opportunity and fooled Hod into killing his twin brother with a spear made of mistletoe . Baldur was later restored to life. Because of the story of his life, death and resurrection, Baldur features prominently in Norse mythology. An important festival was held in honor of Baldur the Good at midsummer, because it was known to be the anniversary of his death and descent into the underworld. Celebrations were held involving big bonfires and outdoor festivities, much of which involved watching the sun rise and set.

Bear in mind that in the extreme Northern latitudes inhabited by the Norse peoples, the sun never really sets at midsummer; instead, it touches the horizon and then rises again to begin a new day. When Christianity moved into the Norse countries, Baldur's celebration became the festival of St. John instead. Kissing Under the Mistletoe - From Celts to Kisses Kissing Under the Mistletoe From Celts to Kisses, This Plant Has a Fascinating History Money may not grow on trees, but mistletoe does. David Beaulieu By David Beaulieu Updated November 29, 2016. We are all familiar with at least a portion of the mysterious mistletoe's story: namely, that a lot of kissing under the mistletoe has been going on for ages. Few, however, realize that this plant's botanical story earns it the classification of "parasite." Fewer still know the convoluted history behind the tradition of smooching beneath a sprig of the plant. And its literary history is a forgotten footnote for all but the most scholarly.

Let's begin with a little taste of the latter: "Here were kept up the old games of hoodman blind, shoe the wild mare, hot cockles, steal the white loaf, bob apple, and snap dragon; the Yule-clog and Christmas candle were regularly burnt, and the mistletoe with its white berries hung up, to the imminent peril of all the pretty housemaids." That is what Washington Irving wrote in Christmas Eve (from Irving's The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent, 1820). Irving relates the typical festivities surrounding the Twelve Days of Christmas, including kissing under the mistletoe. continue reading below our video Double Your Closet Space with 3 Simple Tricks He continues his Christmas passage with a footnote: The mistletoe is still hung up in farm-houses and kitchens at Christmas, and the young men have the privilege of kissing the girls under it, plucking each time a berry from the bush. When the berries are all plucked the privilege ceases. We moderns have conveniently forgotten the part about plucking the berries (which, incidentally, are poisonous), and then desisting from kissing under the mistletoe when the berries run out.

Along with the holly , laurel , rosemary, yews , boxwood bushes and, of course, the Christmas tree , mistletoe is an evergreen displayed during the Christmas season and symbolic of the eventual rebirth of vegetation that will occur in spring. But perhaps more than any other of the Christmas evergreens, it is a plant of which we are conscious only during the holidays. One day we're kissing under the mistletoe, and the next day we've forgotten all about it (the plant, that is, not the kisses). When the Christmas decorations come down, mistletoe fades from our minds for another year, receding into the mists of mythology and rituals. Particularly in regions where the plant is not native (or is rare), most people do not even realize that mistletoe does not grow on the ground, but rather on trees as a parasitic shrub. That's right: as unromantic as it sounds, kissing under the mistletoe means embracing under a parasite. The variety common in Europe was imbued with religious significance by its ancient inhabitants. We find the source of "kissing under the mistletoe" in Celtic rituals and Norse mythology.

In Gaul, the land of the Celts, for instance, the Druids considered it a sacred plant. It was believed to have medicinal qualities and mysterious supernatural powers. The following reflections from the Roman natural historian, Pliny the Elder is part of a longer Latin passage on the subject, dealing with a Druidic religious ritual: Here we must mention the reverence felt for this plant by the Gauls. The Druids -- for thusly are their priests named -- hold nothing more sacred than the mistletoe and the tree that bears it, as long as that tree be an oak.... Mistletoe is very rarely encountered; but when they do find some, they gather it, in a solemn ritual.... After preparing for a sacrifice and a feast under the oak, they hail the mistletoe as a cure-all and bring two white bulls there, whose horns have never been bound before. A priest dressed in a white robe climbs the oak and, with a golden sickle, cuts the mistletoe, which is caught in a white cloak. Then they sacrifice the victims, begging the god, who gave them the mistletoe as a gift, to make it propitious for them.

They believe that a potion prepared from mistletoe will make sterile animals fertile, and that the plant is an antidote for any poison. Such is the supernatural power with which peoples often invest even the most trifling things (Natural History, XVI, 249-251; translation by David Beaulieu). Norse Myths and the History of Mistletoe But what of the history of mistletoe pertaining to kissing under it? Tracing the history of all this caressing means going back to ancient Scandinavia -- to custom and the Norse myths. The traditional custom , according to Dr. Leonard Perry, was that if, while out in the woods, you happened to find yourself standing under this plant upon encountering a foe, you both had to lay down your arms until the following day. This ancient Scandinavian custom led to the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe. But the tradition went hand-in-hand with one of the Norse myths, namely, the myth of Baldur. The story of Baldur's death is one of the most fascinating Norse myths for those interested in the "kissing" plant, because it is central to the history of mistletoe.

Baldur's mother was the Norse goddess, Frigga. When Baldur was born, Frigga made each and every plant, animal and inanimate object promise not to harm Baldur. But Frigga overlooked the mistletoe plant -- and the mischievous god of the Norse myths, Loki, took advantage of this oversight. Ever the prankster, Loki tricked one of the other gods into killing Baldur with a spear made from mistletoe. Hermódr the Bold was appointed to ride to Hel in an attempt to bring Baldur back. Hel's condition for returning Baldur was that absolutely every last thing in the world, living and dead, had to weep for Baldur. Failing that, he would remain with Hel. When this condition was put to the test, all wept except for a certain giantess, believed to be Loki in disguise. Baldur's resurrection was thus thwarted. The ancient source for the foregoing Norse myth is the Prose Edda . But variations on the story (or addenda to the story) about Baldur and the mistletoe have come down to us, too -- although I cannot supply the ancient sources for all of them.

For example, some relate it was agreed, after the death of Baldur, that from then on mistletoe would bring love rather than death into the world, and that any two people passing under mistletoe would exchange a kiss in memory of Baldur. Others add that the tears Frigga shed over the slain Baldur became the mistletoe berries. It goes without saying that, if we were to peel off the layers of custom and myth surrounding "kissing under the mistletoe" in an attempt to discover its true history, we would find ourselves in the midst of ancient erotica. Mistletoe has long been regarded as an aphrodisiac and fertility herb. It may also possess the ability to cause an abortion, which would help explain its association with uninhibited sexuality. The unusual botanical history of mistletoe goes a long way towards explaining the awe in which it was held by ancient peoples, as reflected in the Norse myth. For in spite of not being rooted in the soil, mistletoe remained green throughout the winter, while the trees upon which it grew and upon which it fed did not (the European mistletoe often grows on apple trees ; more rarely on oaks ).

The fascination this must have exerted over pre-scientific peoples is understandable. Most types of mistletoe are classified as hemiparasitical (i.e., partial parasites). They are not full parasites, since the plants are capable of photosynthesis. But these mistletoe plants are parasitic in the sense that they send a special kind of root system (called "haustoria") down into their hosts, the trees upon which they grow, in order to extract nutrients from the trees. Various types of mistletoe grow all over world, so it is difficult to generalize about the plant. Mistletoe is in the Loranthaceae family. The flowers of tropical mistletoes can be much larger and more colorful than the small yellow flowers (later yielding whitish-yellow berries) that Westerners associate with the plant. The mistletoe common in Europe is classified as Viscum album, while its American counterpart is Phoradendron flavescens. The U.S. is also home to a dwarf mistletoe , called Arceuthobium pusillum. The latter is not something that you would want growing on your landscape, since it does do harm to the trees that it uses as hosts.

Even the hemiparasitical mistletoes are far from beneficial to their hosts. But A. pusillum is fully parasitical, having no leaves of its own. And since there are no leaves to harvest from this plant, dwarf mistletoe is even useless as a Christmas decoration for "kissing under the mistletoe"! Read Steve Nix's article on controlling mistletoe to learn about prevention. While partyers focus on kissing under the mistletoe, and while botanists and landscapers concentrate on distinguishing partially parasitical mistletoes from the fully parasitical types, the medical profession has begun to investigate the alleged benefits of mistletoe to human health. Actress Suzanne Somers increased public awareness of the research taking place on mistletoe as a possible cure for breast cancer and gave mistletoe history a new twist. Somers opted to treat her breast cancer with Iscador, a drug made from a mistletoe extract . CNN followed up this report with another, however, which was highly skeptical of the effectiveness of mistletoe as a cancer cure for humans.

Origins of the Word, "Mistletoe" and Its Famous Literary Past We have seen that the origin of kissing under the mistletoe lies in Scandinavian myth. But what about the origin of the name "mistletoe"? The origin of the word, itself is every bit as complex and obscure as the botany and folklore surrounding the plant. The quest for the word origin leads us on a journey back to Indo-European roots, on a road riddled with superstition. The word originated from the perception in pre-scientific Europe that mistletoe plants burst forth -- as if by magic -- from the excrement of the "mistel" (or "missel") thrush. According to Sara Williams at the University of Saskatchewan Extension, "It was observed in ancient times that mistletoe would often appear on a branch or twig where birds had left droppings. 'Mistel' is the Anglo-Saxon word for 'dung,' and 'tan' is the word for 'twig'. So, mistletoe means 'dung-on-a-twig'." Not exactly a word origin in keeping with the romantic reputation of mistletoe plants.

While belief in spontaneous generation has long been discredited, the word origin of "mistletoe" is not as fanciful as one might at first think. "By the sixteenth century," says Williams, "botanists had discovered that the mistletoe plant was spread by seeds which had passed through the digestive tract of birds." And folks had known for some time that the berry of mistletoe plants is a favorite treat of the mistel thrush. So while their reasoning was somewhat askew, the old-timers were justified, after all, in naming mistletoe plants after the bird most responsible for spreading it around. As might be expected from a plant that has held people's fascination for so long, mistletoe plant has also carved out a niche of fame for itself in literary annals. Two of the better-known books of the Western tradition feature a particular mistletoe shrub prominently -- a mistletoe shrub given the pseudonym of "golden bough." And herein lies yet another twist in the tale of this remarkable plant.

In Virgil's Aeneid, perhaps the most famous book in classical Latin literature and one of the most famous poems of all time, the Roman hero, Aeneas, makes use of this "golden bough" at a critical juncture of the book. The "golden bough" was to be found on a special tree in the grove sacred to Diana, at Nemi; a tree containing a mistletoe plant. The prophetess Sibyl instructed Aeneas to pluck this magic bough before attempting his descent into the underworld. Sibyl knew that, with the aid of such magic, Aeneas would be able to undertake the perilous venture with confidence. Two doves guide Aeneas to the grove and alight upon the tree, "from which shone a flickering gleam of gold. As in the woods in the cold winter the mistletoe -- which puts out seed foreign to its tree -- stays green with fresh leaves and twines its yellow fruit about the boles; so the leafy gold seemed upon the shady oak, so this gold rustled in the gentle breeze." (Aeneid VI, 204-209).

The title of Sir James G. Frazer's anthropological classic, "The Golden Bough" (1922), derives from this very scene in Virgil's Aeneid. But just how, you might be asking, can something green like mistletoe plants become associated with the color gold? According to Frazer, mistletoe could become a "golden bough" because when the plants die and wither (even evergreens eventually die, of course), mistletoe plants acquire a golden hue. Fair enough. But once again, botany and folklore most likely must be mingled to arrive at the full explanation. The perception of goldenness in the dried leaves of mistletoe plants was probably influenced by the fact that, in the folklore of Europe, it was thought that mistletoe plants in some cases are brought to earth when lightning strikes a tree in a blaze of gold. And a fitting arrival it would be, after all, for a plant whose home is half way between the heavens and the earth.

Further Reading Norse, Greek & Roman | The Mistletoe Pages The Mistletoe Pages Mistletoe information from the UK, aiming to provide helpful information on many aspects of mistletoes – their biology, conservation, control, traditions, harvesting, medicinal usage and traditions in art nouveau. Most of the site is about the classic mistletoe of northern Europe – a rather mysterious plant parasite, with a complex folklore, and, perhaps, serious potential in medicine. Norse, Greek & Roman Norse, Greek & Roman mistletoe traditions It’s not all about kissing , or even about cutting mistletoe from your sacred oak . There are many other ancient mistletoe traditions. Some of best-known are the Norse, Greek and Roman legends. Baldr the Beautiful Balder slain by the mistletoe spear, depicted in an Icelandic Saga In Norse mythology (specifically the stories relating to the Æsir ) there is a famous story about the god Baldr (also spelt Balder and Baldur) who was slain, through treachery, by a weapon made of mistletoe.

There are many versions of this tale, but most agree on the main points that Baldr, son of Frigg (and possibly a son of Odin) was one of the most popular gods, known as Baldr the Beautiful. But he was plagued by dreams foretelling his death and so, in an effort to reassure and protect him, his mother made everything, plant, animal or rock, living on or growing in the earth swear never to harm him. As a result he became invincible, and the other gods began to take advantage of his good nature by using him for target practice. He always survived. But Loki, a jealous and mischievous god, realised that the mistletoe had been overlooked in the oath-taking, as it didn’t actually grow in the ground. He contrived a weapon from some mistletoe – variously described as an arrow, dart or spear. Rather than do his own dirty work he persuaded Hod, Baldr’s blind brother to strike with this weapon, ensuring that Hod took the immediate blame. Baldr died from this single wound, and all the gods mourned for him.

In some versions of the story he is brought back to life, but most agree about the outcome for mistletoe – Frigg’s tears became its pearlescent berries, still seen today and Frigg decreed that, instead of being punished, mistletoe should become a symbol of peace and friendship evermore. Aeneas and the Golden Bough Aeneas finds the Golden Bough In Greece, Aeneas was guided to the abode of the dead by plucking the ‘Golden Bough’ of mistletoe. In Greek myth, Aeneas, a survivor from Troy who has many adventures (told in Virgil’s Aeneid ) before settling in Italy and founding the community that was to become the Roman Empire. In one of these he searches for his dead father Anchises who his father, who shows him a vision of his future and the founding to Rome. Where does mistletoe come into this? Well, to visit his father he must visit the abode of the dead, and to get there from Avernus he is advised .

In order to make his way to and from Avernus, he was advised by the Sibyl that he must first seek and pluck the ‘golden bough’ from a tree in the forest. A title page from Sir James George Frazer’s Golden Bough He was guided to the bough by doves sent by Venus (his mother), found the golden bough, successfully visited his father, and returned. This ‘golden bough’ is assumed by many writers and scholars to be mistletoe. Certainly our European Mistletoe, Viscum album, often appears golden in the winter months. The ‘ Golden Bough ‘ became famous as a symbol of myth and legend when Sir James Frazer used it as the title of his monumental work on magic and religion in 1922.

Romans – peace and saturnalia New text and pictures following soon… The Death of Balder in Norse Mythology The Story of Baldur's Death From Bulfinch Odin, the king of the Norse gods, often sat upon Hildskialf, the throne of the Aesir gods [see Norse Gods ], with his companions, the two ravens, Hugin (thought) and Munin (Memory), whispering in his ears. From this position he could look out on all of the nine worlds . Sometimes his wife Frigg would sit there, too, but she was the only other god who was so privileged. Frigg was the second and favorite wife of Odin, whose daughter she may also have been. She was the only Aesir as clever and knowledgeable about the future as Odin, although her foreknowledge did not depress her as it did her husband. Frigg had her own palace, which was known as Fensalir, where she sat spinning clouds to float above Midgard . continue reading below our video 10 Best Universities in the United States Fensalir also served as the afterlife home for married couples who wished to be together.

It was a counterpart to the famous home of valiant warriors, Valhalla, where Odin spent much of his time -- drinking (he is said to have stopped eating when he heard about the inevitable doom of Ragnarok) with his feasting and fighting companions and the Valkyries. The most handsome of the gods was born to Frigg and Odin. He was named Balder (also known as Baldur or Baldr). He was a god of truth and light. Balder was also knowledgeable in healing herbs and runes, which made him a favorite among the people of Midgard. Balder lived in a palace named Breidablik with his wife Nanna (n.b. there is also a Mesopotamian goddess of this name), a vegetation goddess. It was believed that no lie could pass through the walls of Breidablik, home of the god of truth, so when Balder started having frightening nightmares about his own demise, the other Aesir gods took them seriously. Unlike gods in other pantheons, the Norse gods were not immortal. They catalogued everything that might possibly cause Balder harm, from weapons to diseases to creatures.

With the list in hand, Balder's mother, Frigg, set out to exact assurances from everything in the nine worlds not to harm Balder. This wasn't hard because he was so universally loved. When she had completed her mission, Frigg returned to Gladsheim, the gods' meeting hall, for a celebration. After a few rounds of drinks and toasts, the gods decided to test Balder's invulnerability. A pebble thrown at Balder bounced off without hurting Balder, in honor of its oath. Larger weapons were used, including Thor's axes and all refused to hurt the god. Loki is known as a trickster god . Sometimes he was mischievous, but he hadn't really been malicious. The giants were evil, but Loki, who was the son of a giant, hadn't been known as such. It seems his self-appointed job was to stir things up when things were going well. It's a Loki-type action that one wishes to avert when telling an actor to break a leg before a performance.

Loki was disturbed by all the gaiety and decided to do something about it, so in disguise as a disgusting old hag, he went to Frigg while she was at Fensalir taking a break from the festivities. What was going on at Gladsheim, he asked her. She said it was a celebration for the god Balder. Loki-in-disguise asked why, then, were people throwing weapons at him? Frigg explained about the promises she'd exacted. Loki kept at her asking questions until she finally revealed that there was one thing she hadn't asked because she thought it too small and inconsequential. That one thing was mistletoe. With all the information he needed, Loki set off to the forest to get himself a branch of mistletoe. He then returned to the festivities at Gladsheim and sought out Balder's blind brother, Hod, god of darkness, who was in a corner because he couldn't aim and therefore couldn't participate in the test of Balder's invulnerability. Loki told Hod he would help him take aim and handed Hod a piece of apparently innocuous mistletoe to throw.

Hodur was grateful and accepted the offer, so Loki steered Hod's arm. Hod launched the branch, which caught Balder in the chest. Balder died instantly. The gods looked towards Hod and saw Loki beside him. Before they could do anything, Loki fled away. Celebration turned to lamentation since the most beloved of the gods had died. Odin alone was aware of how disastrous this event really was for them all, for he knew that with the loss of light and truth, the end of the world, Ragnarok, was due soon. A funeral pyre was made that was so enormous the gods had to ask the help of the giants. They then placed their most valuable worldly possessions as gifts upon the pyre. Odin placed his golden armband Draupnir. Balder's wife fell down dead of grief at the pyre, so her body was placed beside her husband's. Prev

Question: In Norse mythology who killed Baldur with a spear made from mistletoe?
Answer: LOKI